There's been some recent confusion with the old spoiler thread, so I'm kicking off a new one for tonight's premiere. This is going to be the one for folks who've read all the books. So anything anybody might want to talk about is in bounds. Suffice to say, if you haven't read the books, you'll probably want to stay out of here until you do...

I'll bump the old spoiler-free thread shortly in case anybody's interested. For future reference the link to that one is here

I am almost positive that the Sandor Clegane is still alive. The evidence in AFFC is pretty convincing in that regard, even if it is very subtle in typical GRRM fashion.

I don't know how big a role Sandor will have if he's become a brother/monk, but the set-up is perfect to have zombie Gregor fight for Cersei in her trial by battle, and to have the Hound fight for the church that's accusing Cersei. That fight has to happen!! Come on GRRM, don't let us down!

If you still doubt that Sandor lives, read this excellent essay on the subject (which has all the relevant book excerpts from AFFC), and then tell me if you're still convinced he's really dead:

I am almost positive that the Sandor Clegane is still alive. The evidence in AFFC is pretty convincing in that regard, even if it is very subtle in typical GRRM fashion.

I don't know how big a role Sandor will have if he's become a brother/monk, but the set-up is perfect to have zombie Gregor fight for Cersei in her trial by battle, and to have the Hound fight for the church that's accusing Cersei. That fight has to happen!! Come on GRRM, don't let us down!

If you still doubt that Sandor lives, read this excellent essay on the subject (which has all the relevant book excerpts from AFFC), and then tell me if you're still convinced he's really dead:

I am almost positive that the Sandor Clegane is still alive. The evidence in AFFC is pretty convincing in that regard, even if it is very subtle in typical GRRM fashion.

I don't know how big a role Sandor will have if he's become a brother/monk, but the set-up is perfect to have zombie Gregor fight for Cersei in her trial by battle, and to have the Hound fight for the church that's accusing Cersei. That fight has to happen!! Come on GRRM, don't let us down!

If you still doubt that Sandor lives, read this excellent essay on the subject (which has all the relevant book excerpts from AFFC), and then tell me if you're still convinced he's really dead:

I've never gone to towerofthehand because I'd never get anything done ever again.

But I've been of the mind all along that Sandor's death was purely a symbolic one; a passing of 'The Hound' and being reborn as Sandor. I'm about 80% sure that he's still out there kicking around.

I hadn't considered the possibility of him coming back to fight on behalf of the church against Gregor, however. That's pretty damn good...

Better that than this...

"We will have to wait and see. It has been confirmed that Clegane's is not one of the mystery POVs in A Dance With Dragons. Despite whatever pleasure we may have taken from his character, we must accept the fact of the most likely conclusion to this theory: that Sandor's life and death will not be confirmed or denied, that the remaining books will never confirm his continued existence as the gravedigger, and that, if the theory is true, he will spend the rest of the tale on the Quiet Isle, repenting for his life of violence through a vow of silence, as the Elder Brother did. Sandor Clegane may not be dead, but it probably doesn't matter; barring an unforeseen turn of events, he is still finished in A Song of Ice and Fire."